 National Skin Care Institute:
A focus on natural skin care treatment
The National Skin Care Institute brings you information and advice on natural skin care from some of the nation's leading dermatologists. You will find information about dry skin, other skin types, allergies, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. We also offer other resources including the Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary and the eMedicine Medical Encyclopedia, with over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries.
Our intention is to provide you with "herbal", "at home," "holistic" and "natural� skin care treatments and methods that have been proven effective and safe in treating dry skin and other skin conditions, as well as to help you to know when to consult a health care professional.
With the emergence of the Internet there are now literally tens of thousands of web sites that offer "herbal", "at home", "holistic" and "natural" skin care treatments. While much of this information about natural skin care is very helpful and worthwhile, some of it suggests treatments that are simply not as effective as they claim to be, and in some cases can even cause more skin or other health problems than they claim to solve. One such area is dry skin care.
Our goal is to provide you natural skin care products and treatments that have been evaluated by highly experienced and recognized health care professionals who specialize in skin care - dermatologists.
Many of us feel that the FDA (Unites States Food and Drug Administration) is unfairly influenced by this nation's biggest drug companies and the purpose of actually protecting us against unsafe drugs has lessened in their list of priorities.
With the billions of dollars now being spent by these big drug companies to lull us into the idea that their drugs are our best road to health, and demanding an ever-increasing percentage of our incomes, we feel there is a great need to provide "herbal", "at home", "holistic" and natural skin care treatments and products that have been evaluated and shown to be safe and effective by leading dermatologists.
At the same time we offer unbiased advice about your skin care, when to see your doctor and what drugs to ask him or her for - completely free from the influence of pharmaceutical companies. Many people would prefer effective and natural skin care options to most of these drugs because some of their side effects are often worse than the diseases that they are supposed to treat.
We welcome your comments and suggestions. If you have a skin care treatment or method that you would like to offer, please email us at [email protected]. Visit this web site often, as we will be continually adding to and updating the content.
 New Shielding Lotion Solves the Four Most Common Causes of Dry SkinDry skin is an extremely common skin condition that has Americans spending millions of dollars on dry skin lotion. No one wants to suffer from the uncomfortable itch of dry skin or the unsightly flakes and cracks it can cause. "It is often a fallacy that only people who work with solvents need a barrier cream like this," says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Peter Helton. "Everyday household items like soap, can dessicate and dehydrate your skin enough that the natural barrier is broken."
How to Effectively Treat Dry SkinMost conventional lotions only mask dry skin. Replacing the skin's natural protective barrier and allowing your own natural oils and moisture to heal the skin works best...
The Proper Care Of Your Skin - Part OneThe skin is the largest organ of the body. We tend to fuss over it many times a day, yet most people don't have a good understanding about proper skin care. Here are some key facts. The skin is composed of two main layers. The top layer is called the epidermis. This layer is quite thin (about one millimeter) but provides several essential functions...
The Truth About SunscreensSunscreens are an essential tool for preventing skin aging and skin cancers. Sun damaged skin shows wrinkling, is less elastic and sags as well as appears sallow and leathery. In addition, broken blood vessels and even blackheads may form. Ultraviolet (UV) rays are non-visible rays transmitted from the sun. Those UV rays that reach the earth's surface are divided into UV-A and UV-B, depending on their wavelength size. UVA and UVB radiation irreversibly damages our skin and an effective sunscreen should protect against both types of radiation...
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Featured dermatologist
Full Disclosure: The #1 Skin Care Myth You Are Not Supposed to Know
Fact or Fiction: Using a regular conventional lotion will heal your dry and itchy skin? The answer is easy - it's fiction.
Conventional moisturizers don't get down to the cause of dry skin and heal it. They actually mask the symptoms of dry skin and make the problem worse. Most lotions contain harsh ingredients that can be considered to be toxic to some and damage your skin's own natural skin barrier. That natural barrier is important to the health of your skin; it keeps the good stuff in and the bad stuff out.
The solution: a shielding lotion. It's a new innovation years in the making. A shielding lotion works differently than conventional moisturizers and protects the health of your skin. Shielding lotions work to strengthen your skin's own natural protective barrier acting as a shield against environmental irritants that strip your skin of it's own natural moisture.
Dr. Lisa Benest, a board certified dermatologist from Burbank, CA explains: "Skin needs the natural oils and moisture it produces to be healthy, but with the stresses your skin is exposed to, these factors are often not present. Dry skin and other skin conditions come about when the protective outer layer is stripped away and irritants and bacteria get into the skin. The reason shielding lotions are such an effective skin care treatment is that they replace the protective barrier and allow the skin to heal from within."
"A shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin and protects it from outside irritants and chemicals, so it will prevent skin conditions from developing or it will help an existing condition to heal."
"A conventional lotion is not formulated to protect the skin like a shielding lotion does. Conventional lotions only add surface moisture to temporarily alleviate the dryness or itching. Shielding lotions stay on because they bond with the skin and protect it for long periods of time. With this protection in place your skin keeps its own moisture in and has a chance to use this natural moisture in the deep layers of the skin to heal itself."
+ 10 Skin Care Tips for All Seasons:
- Avoid long soaks in hot, soapy water. Relaxing in a hot bath sounds wonderful when you're cold, but hot, soapy water can remove the protective oils from your skin
- Use a mild bath product or one that is pH balanced. Look for natural ingredients
- Pat your skin to dry it � don't rub
- Apply a shielding lotion right after the bath or shower to help the skin's protective layer stay intact
- Reapply every four to six hours to maintain the integrity of the layer all day
- Look at the ingredients on any product you buy to treat severe itching. Stay away from those with chemicals that could make the condition worse
- Moisturize from the inside out. What you eat affects the condition of your skin. Add walnuts, Canola Oil and ground flaxseeds to your diet
- Eat foods rich in Vitamin E � green leafy vegetables and wheat germ flakes
- Drink at least eight glasses of liquid � preferably good water. Stay away from sodas or drinks with caffeine, which dry the skin
- Use a humidifier to increase the level of moisture in the air
What Is A Shielding Lotion?
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